North Sikkim – The Switzerland Of The East In Winter

[crazy4]

Day 1 January 10th 2008
NJP-Gangtok-Nathula-Tokla-Gangtok

This was our second trip to the small but one of the most beautiful mountainous state of India. The beauty of the Sikkim always beckon me and we use to enjoy it’s calmness, peacefulness and the cold. That’s why we come here every year in January month.

Four of my friends from West Bengal would join us(Myself & my younger brother) in Gangtok. After an early morning drive in a shared sumo from New Jalpaiguri Railway station through dense fog we reached Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim at around 9.00am which was followed by 5hours train journey to New Jalpaiguri.Since my friends would come only by evening so we decided to utilize the day by visiting Nathula & Tsangu lake.

We checked in Hotel Hidden Flower. The Hotel owner Mr. Swarup Dutta is a very nice and friendly Bengali gentlemen. Whenever we come to Gangtok we checked in here only. Rooms are specious, neat & clean and cheap as well.

When we told the manager of the hotel to arrange a share taxi to the Nathula and Tsangu he was surprised and told us it would not be good idea for us to climb above 14000 ft in the same day without any acclimatization. But we were adamant not to lose the day. Finally we started our journey to the Nathula around 10.15am along with 8 other persons in a shared sumo.

It was a pleasant sunny day on the peak of winter. A two-hour strenuous jeep drive from Gangtok took us to the Tsongo lake. More than two third of the lake was frozen. The snowline started from here. There were lot of shops around the lake which were selling verities of worm cloths. After a little break we were again starting our journey towards the Chinese border.

The last five km road was real narrow and Army were controlling the traffic in one way only. This five km stretch took us nearly 1hour to complete. Finally we reached Nathula. We all were very excited when we saw the Chinese establishment on the other side of the border. We even handshaked with a Chinese solder. We were severing in the cold in overcast weather. There was a restaurant where we refreshed ourself with some cakes and hot coffee.

After visiting Nathula we went to Baba Harbhajan Singh temple and proceeded further to Tokla which is 20km far towards Jelep La( 4,267 m) on the way to Kalimpang, a very old trade route. Tukla Is a small outpost where Baba Harbhajan Singh is reported to have departed for his heavenly abode, a small temple is dedicated to him at the site. The area is magnificent with lush and green virgin alpine vegetation with splendid view of mighty Kanchendzonga.

Beyond Nathula on way to Tukla we passed through a valley rich in local flora and fauna and a lake saddled in the valley below which is shaped like an Elephant.

Around 3.30pm we returned and took our lunch with Maagi in Tsangu before continuing our return journey.I felt very sleepy(due to overnight journey) and tried to sleep in the vehicle. Just before the sunset we visited the Hanuman tak, a temple dedicated to the Lord Hanuman situated at an altitude of 7200ft and 11km away from Gangtok. We reached Gangtok around 5.30 .We met my friends from West Bengal in MG Road and enjoyed some moment in the MG Road, which is the heart of the city before taking dinner.

Me posing near frozen Tsangu Lake

My brother Bubul posing near Baba Harbhajan Temple

Completely frozen Lake on the way to Nathula


The Chinese border in Nathula

Chinese solders

Panoramic views from Nathula


The mighty Chomal Hari peak (Bhutan) seen from Nathula

The mighty Kanchendzonga seen from Tokla about 20km ahead of Nathula towards Jelep La(4267m)

Beautiful Cloud formation much lower altitude near Tokla

We are under Chinese observation….But why are we being observed in our own territory by Chinese?

Baba temple in Tokla

Beautiful clouds formation seen while we return back from Nathula



The Hanuman temple visited hurriedly just before the dusk

[pushpinder]

lovely!
Those clouds look so ethereal!!

[anupmathur]

Salim, very pretty pics!
This promises to be quite a beauty!

[Yatin]

Jebbat... this is the log I was searching for bro.... bring on more details and more such b'ful snaps...

[crazy4]

Originally Posted by pushpinder

lovely!
Those clouds look so ethereal!!

Thanks Pushpinder

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Salim, very pretty pics!
This promises to be quite a beauty!

Thank you Anupji.

Originally Posted by Yatin

Jebbat... this is the log I was searching for bro.... bring on more details and more such b'ful snaps...

Thanks Jebbat.I think you are also planing for a trip to the Sikkim.You'll get some idea through my trip log and snaps about the beauty of the Sikkim.If you want to know some more details please feel free to ask me.

[ebonho]

Lovely photos! You seem to have done the trip in a 4-wheeler. Were the roads clear of snow/ice and doable on a bike?

A friend from Australia and I are planning a Sikkim and Bhutan ride next January too and I would really appreciate all details you can give!

[crazy4]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Lovely photos! You seem to have done the trip in a 4-wheeler. Were the roads clear of snow/ice and doable on a bike?

A friend from Australia and I are planning a Sikkim and Bhutan ride next January too and I would really appreciate all details you can give!

Yes we did the trip by 4 wheeler.It depends entirely on weather condition.If it snowed heavily then no vehicle can move ahead.We were lucky that the road was clear at that time and weather was excellent.
On that year(2008 ) first snowfall occurred on 25th January and one of my friend(Jnandeep) was stucked with his friends in Lachung for their Yumthang trip.How snowy was the trip he'll write soon.
What are the details you want please let me know.

[crazy4]

Day2 January 11th 2008
Gangtok-Lachung

It was only 11am we were able to leave Gangtok for North Sikkim as our driver had to collect our Permits etc. North Sikkim is known as SWITZERLAND OF THE EAST. We had haired a Bolero for our 3days/2nights tour to North Sikkim. We were total 6persons, but we allowed one Vietnamese couple to accompany us, they wanted to see only Yemthang & Zero point.(Foreigners are still not allowed to Gurudangmar lake)

Soon we enter North Sikkim. We stopped for the first time near Seven Sister waterfalls a beautiful water falls 32km from Gangtok. We took tea and some snaps and started again. From Gangtok we had a drive for seven hours on treacherous roads, passing through endless landslides, to reach Lachung in North Sikkim where we stayed in a pleasant homely lodge for the night.

The seven-hour long drive on the ascending roads didn’t tire us out especially when we could involve our self in the most breathtaking views and numerous water falls. By the time we reached Lachung, a tiny sleepy town at an altitude of around 8000ft it was dusk. The roaring sound of the Lachung Chu(Chu means river) made us feel so refreshing & energetic. It was so cold out there. The Hotel we checked in was rested on a small hill top; the wooden stairs spiraled up to the first floor, with windows overlooking the River. We had dinner with delicious roosted chicken in the warm of burning fire wood in a complete homely environment. The weather was little bit overcast and the cook and hotel caretaker told us there would be much more chance of first snowfall of the season. we were so excited to experience the first snowfalls of the lifetime and went to sleep.

Day3 January 12th 2008
Lachung-Yumthang-Zero point-Lachen

We awoke up at 6.00am to be got ready by 7.00am for our onward journey to Yumthang , the Valley of flowers. We were not that lucky to experience the snowfall. Yes it didn’t happen last night.

I checked the thermometer which I kept outside the window and it was 0 degree centigrade. With much difficulty we got ready by 7.15am and finally started at 7.30am.The road immediately started climbing dangerously. Soon we reached snow line. The road whirling up through mighty snow-clad mountains. When we saw snow first time along the side of the road Vietnamese couple became crazy as they saw snow first time in their life. After driving about 21km in ascending road we reached Yumthang valley at an altitude of 11200ft.Enroute there is Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary. During April and May the entire valley become carpet of more than a dozen different species of rhododendrons of different colors and with some unknown flowers.

As there was not much snow we four excluding my four friend decided to go up to Zero point which is further 30km ahead. As Bengali friend were already visited the place they decided to stay there in Yumthang. So we two brothers and Vietnamese couple headed further to the Zero point. There was more snow along the road side. The snow clad mountains were becoming nearer. Finally after driving an hour we reached Zero point.

We were simply amazed by the beauty of the place. The temperature was sub zero and with wind blowing so viciously that no one can comfortably stand outside. The bone freezing cold!! There were every where snow but were not from fresh snowfalls. Due to coldness all streams etc were frozen. Walking over the frozen stream is very risky as it was extremely slippery. We all had fallen down while trying to cross the stream. After enjoying some moment we all returned back to the Lachung at around 1.30pm.Vietnamese couple returned back from here to Gangtok.

After taking lunch we started again towards Lachen, the base place for the Gurudangmar lake trip is roughly 50km from Lachung and at an altitude of 9046ft.We reached there just before the dusk. The overcast weather and gutsy wind made us feel much colder though the temperature was about 4/5 degree centigrade. There was some annual cultural festival going on and we wanted to see it’s closing day’s ceremony. So after taking bath in icy cold water (this was my coldest bathing experience) we all went to see the cultural ceremony. Due to wind chilling factor we all forced to return back after an hour show. In the night we all took a dinner of a lifetime with typical Sikkimese style. Tomorrow was the big day as we had to ascend up to 17100ft and return back to Gangtok.

Seven sisters falls

Good use of scanty land, but a bit of scary

Road towards Lachung

Our Hotel in Lachung in the early morning light

Mighty mountain on the way to Yamthang

My younger brother Bubul with Manic & Ganesh in Yamthang

Me posing in Yamthang

Panoramic views from Yamthang


Bubul posing in Zero point

Posing over frozen river

All mountains are seems to be so nearer

It is funny to sit on frozen river at -4 degree centigrade

Magneficent view from Zero point

Bubul with Vietnamese Couple

Water is flowing below the frozen river

There is small wooden bridge too!!

Ice cream like mountain


Driver and Hotel caretakers

A small falls on the way to Lachen

Bubul,Manic,Madhu & Raju posing near a falls

One of the highest bridge of Sikkim

Nice small Lachen town

Cultural programme in Lachen

Mount Pandim Lodge,Our Lodge in Lachen

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Salim, beautiful photographs, especially of the clouds.

[Yashwant Bhateshwar]

Beautiful captures..

No Snow at 4800mtrs in Jan. Unimaginable..